History Music / PyotrIlyichTchaikovsky

!! Tropes present in Tchaikovsky's works:

* ''The Music Lovers'', a characteristically UpToEleven biopic by Creator/KenRussell.

** The ''[[Music/SymphonyNoSixInBMinorPathetique Symphony No. 6 in B minor]]'' ("Pathetique") is accurately named, featuring a despairingly sad, pessimistic finale. A notable exception to the prevailing tendency to end symphonies in an upbeat way.

* HappilyEverAfter: In contrast to the DownerEnding of ''Theatre/SwanLake'', both ''Theatre/TheNutcracker'' and ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'' conclude on a positive note.

* {{Bowdlerize}}: The original [[DownerEnding tragic conclusion]] to the ballet ''Theatre/SwanLake'' is at times turned into a happy ending.

* DancePartyEnding: The final act of ''Theatre/TheNutcracker'' consists of a collection of dance scenes that involve magical beings (a sugar plum fairy), flutes, flowers, and various ethnic characters (Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Arab).

* LighterAndSofter: Applies to several fine lesser-known works in this composer's output, including the ''[[Music/SerenadeForStringsInCMajor Serenade for Strings in C major]]'', the first three symphonies, the four orchestral suites, and the second and third piano concertos. Tchaikovsky's favorite composer was Music/WolfgangAmadeusMozart, and these works most clearly demonstrate that love.
* NiceMice: Inverted in ''Theatre/TheNutcracker'', where the mice are unalloyed evil.

* PinocchioSyndrome: Applies to both of the composer's most famous ballets.

* {{Curse}}: The evil fairy Carabosse in ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'' puts a curse on the young Princess Aurora tha twill have her prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die on her sixteenth birthday.

* {{Curse}}: The evil fairy Carabosse in ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'' puts a curse on the young Princess Aurora thatwill have her prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die on her sixteenth birthday.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский, 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''Theatre/SwanLake'', ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter. One of the first known gay composers, he suffered much during his lifetime, and it shows through his music.

The ''Capriccio italien'' is another reasonably famous piece, a medley of various Italian songs he claimed to have heard on vacation. Or cribbed from anthologies, showing that the practice of sampling is nothing new in music.

Tchaikovsky has a tendency to repeat motifs and themes, both large sections of a piece and small bits of a few bars that make up those themes.

* LighterAndSofter: Applies to several fine lesser-known works in this composer's output, including the ''[[Music/SerenadeForStringsInCMajor Serenade for Strings in C major]]'', the first three symphonies, and the second and third piano concertos. Tchaikovsky's favorite composer was Music/WolfgangAmadeusMozart, and these works most clearly demonstrate that love.

* OrchestralBombing: Pretty much the entire point of the ''1812 Overture,'' in which the score (depicting Russia's defeat of Napoleon's army) actually calls for [[StuffBlowingUp real cannons to be fired]] at the finale. To quote ComicStrip/{{Calvin|AndHobbes}}:

* StandardSnippet: His music is a particularly rich source of these. Many themes of ''The Nutcracker'' (thanks to ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}''), the ''1812 Overture'', ''Marche Slav'', the swan theme from Theatre/SwanLake, and the use of the great crescendo from the overture to ''Romeo and Juliet'' used in just about every love scene ever.

* StandardSnippet: His music is a particularly rich source of these. Many themes of ''The Nutcracker'' (thanks to ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}''), the ''1812 Overture'', ''Marche Slav'', the swan theme from Theatre/SwanLake, and the use of the great crescendo from the overture to ''Romeo and Juliet'' used in just about every love scene ever.

* ''Film/{{Tchaikovsky}}'', a 1970 Russian biopic

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* StandardSnippet: His music is a particularly rich source of these. Many themes of ''The Nutcracker'' (thanks to ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}''), the ''1812 Overture'', ''Marche Slav'', the swan theme from SwanLake, and the use of the great crescendo from the overture to ''Romeo and Juliet'' used in just about every love scene ever.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский, 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''Theatre/SwanLake'', ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter. One of the first known homosexual composers, he suffered much during his lifetime, and it shows through his music.

* StandardSnippet: His music is a particularly rich source of these. Many themes of ''The Nutcracker'' (thanks to ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}''), the ''1812 Overture'', ''Marche Slav'', and the use of the great crescendo from the overture to ''Romeo and Juliet'' used in just about every love scene ever.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''Theatre/SwanLake'', ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter. One of the first known homosexual composers, he suffered much during his lifetime, and it shows through his music.

'''Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky''' (7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''Theatre/SwanLake'', ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter. One of the first known homosexual composers, he suffered much during his lifetime, and it shows through his music.

!! Tropes present in his life and work:

* ArmoredClosetGay: In 19th century, how could he be otherwise?
* TheBeard: His marriage, to a woman who threatened to kill herself if he didn't marry her. Needless to say, it was a disaster.
* DrivenToSuicide: There are some people who think that he committed suicide instead of dying of cholera.
* {{Gayngst}}: Pretty self-explanatory.

* PlatonicLifePartners: He was this with Nadezhda von Meck.

* TransparentCloset: To those who knew him personally.

* MagnumOpusDissonance: While ''Theatre/TheNutcracker'' became his most popular work, he was not generally pleased with the score, and was disappointed that his other compositions didn't fare as well with the public.
--> "I gave them a masterpiece in ''SwanLake'', but all they want from me is fluff."
** He also didn't much care for his ''1812 Overture'', calling it "very loud and noisy, but without any actual art in it", yet it is perhaps the most well-known of his compositions.

** Also had a literal [[BadassBeard beard]], as seen in the photograph above.

* TheBeard: His marriage, which was a disaster.

* OrchestralBombing: Pretty much the entire point of the ''1812 Overture,'' in which the score (depicting Russia's defeat of Napoleon's army) actually calls for [[StuffBlowingUp real cannons to be fired]] at the finale. To quote {{Calvin|AndHobbes}}:

'''Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky''' (7 May 1840 –- 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''Theatre/SwanLake'', ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter. One of the first known homosexual composers, he suffered much during his lifetime, and it shows through his music.

His private life was almost as interesting. He's the earliest composer that we know for sure was homosexual, and he suffered for it during his lifetime.